diff --git a/kitty/screen.c b/kitty/screen.c
index cb4791b11..490b334ef 100644
--- a/kitty/screen.c
+++ b/kitty/screen.c
@@ -2371,6 +2371,8 @@ screen_update_cell_data(Screen *self, void *address, FONTS_DATA_HANDLE fonts_dat
     for (index_type y = 0; y < MIN(self->lines, self->scrolled_by); y++) {
         lnum = self->scrolled_by - 1 - y;
         historybuf_init_line(self->historybuf, lnum, self->historybuf->line);
+        // we render line graphics even if the line is not dirty as graphics commands received after
+        // the unicode placeholder was first scanned can alter it.
         screen_render_line_graphics(self, self->historybuf->line, y - self->scrolled_by);
         if (self->historybuf->line->attrs.has_dirty_text) {
             render_line(fonts_data, self->historybuf->line, lnum, self->cursor, self->disable_ligatures);